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Nobody Talks Noise in The OB!I thought the 7th Floor Crew was a creative message to the sporting world that "The U" was back. This was a great relief to me because every sport, especially the sugary world of college football, needs a true badboy.. a team of punks and malcontents jacking people up and making great plays. I love that stuff! But "If Your Ho Only Knew," or "Ode to a Gangbang," as I prefer to call it, wasn't a message. It simply served as a tiny window into the culture of thuggery many thought had been eliminated by Butch Davis and Larry Coker... but it looks like Coker's Hans Brinker imitation could only last for so long. I'm sure you know the story of the brutal melee that took place between Miami and Florida International on Saturday night, so I won't get into it. But I'd be remiss if I didn't call attention to the true gem of this shameful affair -- the live commentary provided by former Cane receiver/current Comcast broadcaster, Lamar Thomas.
Things took an additional step toward the shameful, however, when Thomas went down memory lane - “If this would have been back in the days [sic], we would have called these guys – ‘Hey, meet us at Tamiami Park and let’s get it on without pads.'” It wasn't long before he expressed a desire to join the fracas. Check out the brilliance: After the brawl was over, Miami's players started jumping up and down with pride. You see, they'd successfully defended the Orange Bowl from big bad Florida International, a school who has had a football program for all of 4 seasons. When play resumed, I sent a snide text to one of my friends at Miami - "classy team you got there." I expected him to express a bit of shame or embarrassment but instead, his reply read almost as if it was written by Lamar Thomas. Hey, I suppose it's a Cane Thing and I wouldn't understand. But something I do understand is that if this year's Miami was like Cane teams of old, FIU wouldn't have come up in the OB talkin noise. They would have taken their beating and gone home thankful to have played an elite program at the Orange Bowl. Thing is, they didn't play an elite program; they played Larry Coker's Hurricanes. The same Hurricanes that lost to Florida State, got blown out at Papa John's Stadium, and aren't within miles of a ranking. When you're suiting up against this bunch, it's a lot easier to walk into their house and disrespect them because the Canes aren't the Canes anymore. Sure, the fight helped reclaim their badboy image, but the most important things that have defined The U - style, swagger, and great football - have been lost for 5 years. And in times like these, indignance in the face of disrespect is simply not permitted. Hopefully, Lamar will figure that out before Comcast drops him like a sack of dirt.  Posted at October 16, 2006 3:24 AM Permalink • Filed under: Audio & Video , NCAA |
Around the time the first player kicked another in the ribs, Thomas began rooting for the Canes to do more and more damage - "Now that's what I'm talkin' about. You come into our house, your should get your behind kicked." He also expressed outrage that scrubs from FIU would have the nerve to come up in "the OB" and "talk noise."
Comments (16): Nobody Talks Noise in The OB!
Nate
October 16, 2006 8:23 AM
I'd like to point out that with 4 minutes left in the 3rd quarter, Miami was kicking an XP to go up...14-0?? Are you kidding? I thought this had happened at the very end or something, with Miami already up 35-0. Ugh.
Anderson
October 16, 2006 8:30 AM
That's absolutely disgraceful. If I'm Comcast, I can't fire that guy quick enough.
Matthew
October 16, 2006 9:43 AM
Before this incident, our last memory of Lamar Thomas was him getting caught from behind by George Teague and then being stripped of the ball in the 93 Sugar Bowl. Congratulations Lamar! At least he remembered to not drop an F-bomb the broadcast.
Patton Maxwell
October 16, 2006 10:37 AM
The whole jumping up and down scene reminded me of their game with Louisville a few weeks ago where they jumped and got aggressive on the Cardinals logo and proceeded to get their asses destroyed.
Brendan
October 16, 2006 11:37 AM
"And in times like these, indignance in the face of disrespect is simply not permitted."
I think that about sums it up. Nice call.
stan
October 16, 2006 1:03 PM
Not a whole lot of intelligence down there from Lamar Thomas. On the field, the boys got caught up in the whole scene and got carried away - forgetting it was a football game. It was wrong, but let's not get carried away with it being only a problem in Miami. It probably could have happened in most places around the country, except maybe the Ivy League.
Flash
October 16, 2006 1:45 PM
I don't mind that the players got into a fight, Stan. There was a Miami player on the ground and his teammates had a right to defend him. But I take issue when defending yourself and your teammates turns into helmet swinging, stomping, kicking, and general animalistic behavior... That is disgusting and is wholly inexcusable.
Adam Castro
October 16, 2006 2:52 PM
Your'e crazy Warner! It's a war out there and the Canes are fuckin soldjahs!!!!
Bill K.
October 16, 2006 4:23 PM
But come on everybody, don't you see? THEY started it! Miami had no choice but to act like criminals! You guys and the media just aren't being fair!
DC Sports Chick
October 16, 2006 6:26 PM
Miami is full of goons. Nice of Lamar Thomas to stick up for them- klassy guy.
Joey Baker
October 16, 2006 11:59 PM
Looks like that's all she wrote on Lamar Thomas (for Comcast anyway). He's fired.
Mike J
October 17, 2006 12:12 AM
what's a hans brinker imitation?
Mike
October 17, 2006 1:20 AM
I'm a Canes fan, but this is totally unacceptable. Both parts, the fighting and Lamar Thomas' comments. I'm glad to see the first step in sorting out this terrible fight is the suspension of 13 players, one of whom is now suspended indefinitely. However, as much as we need him...Meriweather should not be back on a football field this season, the same goes for DajLeon Farr, and any other player that was stomping on a player who was down. Certain individuals should serve their 1 game suspension fine, but I guarentee you, of the 13 suspensions, more than a couple should be for the season. That's the only way for Coker to show control over the program, and Miami should do the honorable thing and ban themselves from a Bowl game (if they are lucky enough to get there). I think they should still be able to play for the ACC Title providing they get there, but they should not accept any bowl invitations as punishment for this embarassment.
patrick houlihan
October 17, 2006 2:13 AM
Hans Brinker is the little Dutch boy that holds his finger in the leaking hole of a dike and keeps Holland from turning into Atlantis.
Mark
October 17, 2006 8:56 AM
How does the guy that swung the helmet get suspended indefinitely while Meriweather (the guy you need pretty badly) is stomping on people and only gets a ONE GAME suspension?!?!
The Miami administration enables this behavior. Of everyone involved in this crap, THAT piece of shit criminal should be out for the year
The Pen
October 17, 2006 5:48 PM
As Kellen would say, "I'M A F**KING SOLDIER!"